Pink Envy
by The Sushi Monster
Summary: [02] After an encounter with Envy, Tailmon finally realizes what time spent with Patamon has brought onto her. [PataTail: Done for Kari Izumi's Digimon Pairing Challenge]


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon.

This was written for Kari Izumi's Digimon Pairing Challenge.

Sadly, I don't think I did that well.

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It was silent.

The stars shone vivid and bright against the dark and cold night.

Nowhere could the third moon be seen, and he was desperately trying to find it.

She giggled at his persistence, but refused to part her eyes from the stars, despite the fact that her glittering eyes were becoming moist. She knew that the embarrassment she held would surface at that moment if she looked over.

He was oblivious.

Instead, his eyes wandered the sky, seemingly searching.

She just ignored him.

"Hey, Tailmon."

"Yeah?" She replied, indifferent.

"What's that?"

She looked up, and followed his gaze to a mobile star. She sighed.

"It's a shooting star."

"Oh! Takeru told me about those! He mentioned something about a making a wish-"

"That clichéd story? Hikari told me about it. It's never worked.'

Her voice carried its sharp quality, but he noted a hint of repugnance and scorn in it.

"Is something wrong?"

Her eyes looked over at him, and she smiled at the sincere and concerned look he was giving back to her. She shook her head.

If someone had told her that she would be a partner to a _human_, and sitting underneath this oak tree with a Patamon, she wouldn't have believed it.

But she could certainly believe that he was able to read her like a book.

Spending all of waking hours together may have something to do with it.

But nevertheless, she enjoyed his presence, and he was surely a good companion during the solitary hours of the night. When all is dark and forlorn, you always have a friend in silence.

But in silence, you have no one. Thankfully, she did.

She steadily lifted herself from her lying position, and faced the darkened trees in front of her. Her breathing echoed throughout the forest, but she heard not a sound.

He was waiting.

Though she was slightly startled, she knew she shouldn't be. He was always the patient one, always waiting.

So she slowly answered.

"Well, I've just been thinking."

"About what?" His voice was inquisitive, but his face held no emotion.

"About things…that's all."

"Care to specify?"

She grinned. As time passed, his vocabulary had greatly increased, leading to him speaking in words she herself couldn't define. This, however, wasn't one of those times.

"Hikari, mainly, but the others too. I haven't seen Piyomon or Palmon is ages, and Hawkmon is always in Little Edo."

He smiled, sympathetically.

"It's okay. I miss Armadillomon and Veemon a lot too, and same with Takeru. It's okay to miss everyone." He picked himself up as well, and stationed himself next to her. "Here, why don't we go tomorrow and visit some of the others? We can probably find them…seeing as we have transportation." He indicated Gomamon, who was snoozing a while away.

She giggled.

"That sounds good. And besides, I don't think he'll mind."

"Not at all."

The pair burst out into spontaneous laughter, and the sound filled up the night. It was as calm and still as before, but it had an air of joy.

She sensed it.

"Does it feel…different or something now?"

He looked around, taking in his surroundings.

The trees reached high above the duo's heads, but the faint moonlight, from the Earth's moon, shone through the leaves. Waves were crashing against the sand, and the river surged beneath them. They were sitting on cliff, no trees blocking their vision to the sky, and the numerous numbers of stars gave enough light to see for a short distance.

Firewood and ashes sat next to the quiescent Gomamon, and marked the only records of their camp. The warmth still lingered, but the cool breeze had begun to take fervor, sprouting into gusts of wind. Through the chilling air, the couple sat, gazing at the clear sky, resting their backs to the strong trunks assembled behind them.

All in all, he couldn't see, or feel, much of a difference.

"No, I don't feel anything. Well, besides the fact that it's getting darker and somewhat colder."

"Oh."

He could see through her disappointed act, and he saw the slightly anxious face within.

"Why? Did you feel something?"

He heard her soft sigh, and she turned towards him.

"Well…I thought I felt it get more…I don't know…warmer."

"Hm."

He pondered, but when no theories popped into his head, he grinned.

"I guess it's just the weatherman's fault."

"We don't have a weatherman, Patamon."

"Too bad."

She giggled, and shook her head. Even his futility was cute at times.

Did she just say cute?

Wow, she knew he was starting to rub off on her. And apparently, in more ways than one.

"So how about we take a walk." He asked, glancing vaguely back at their 'camp'. "I'm sure Gomamon won't mind."

"That sounds good."

A faint smile crept unto her lips, unnoticed by him. She didn't know where it came from, but she felt it sneak onto her features. It felt good.

And she didn't mind.

Silently, the couple walked, or in his case, flew, their path leading in no particular direction. Many minutes later, and after many sighs and groans, they somehow found themselves in the Yokomon village. There, predictably yet surprisingly, they found Piyomon.

"Piyomon!"

He flew up to their pink feathered friend, a grin on his face. For some reason, she felt a pit in her stomach.

Startled, and repulsed, by the sudden feeling, she forced herself forward, giving their longtime friend a hug.

"Where have you been? And how?" Her tail sagged beside her, and he noted. However, he decided to say nothing, and kept smiling. His smile grew even wider when he saw the expression on his kitten friend's face.

Piyomon smiled apologetic, and returned the hug full heartily.

"I've been here with the Yokomon. I'm so sorry I haven't kept in touch! I just…wanted to keep them safe."

She smiled.

"I totally understand. Besides, I was taking care of Patamon until we found Gomamon." At the latter, Patamon scowled and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever Tailmon."

The girls laughed, while he ignored them.

She looked around, admiring the myriad of pink and blue she was surrounded with. The Yokomon were all asleep, but the color was as bright as ever. She hadn't ventured to this part of the land for quite a while. As she roamed, she found herself festive and happy.

She always liked the young. Even though she seemed irritated, she always enjoyed spending time with them.

She turned around, wanting to signal to him that they needed to head back to check up on Gomamon, when she felt the churning sensation in her stomach once more.

He, flying above Piyomon, was talking merrily, while she laughed along. As he landed, his face beaming, the feeling in her stomach hardened.

She shook her head, fighting back the urge to smack herself, and stifled the other urge to smack _him_.

Looking back, she never realized how much time they had actually spent together.

When she thought about it, Takeru and Hikari were always paired up together. And of course, they were _always_ with Hikari and Takeru, leading to them being together most of the time.

Maybe she had become attached.

She felt confused. She had never felt like this. Never before did she have the feeling…of being…envious.

Dismissing the idea, she marched over, and with a little remorse, dragged him away.

"We _need_ to go now. Gomamon will be worried."

Startled, he flew out of her grasp, and looked at her.

"What's wrong? You seem…spiteful."

"I'm _fine_." Her words were filled with contempt, and he knew it. Nevertheless, he dropped it.

Bidding farewell to Piyomon, and promising to visit again soon, they left.

Mutely, they traveled back to the river side, the calm night their only attendant. As the leaves crumpled and the twigs snapped beneath them, they kept silent.

When they reached the campsite, they found Gomamon still to be sleeping, and the fire ashes spread far.

She marched over to her makeshift bed, made of foliage and brushwood, and lay down, turning her back to him.

He slowly walked up to her bed and sat beside her.

"Go away." Was the muffled cry.

"No." Was his stubborn response.

"I mean it. Go _away_."

"I meant it. _No_."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please!"

"No."

"PLEASE!"

"NO!"

Fed up with his persistence, she got up and faced him. Her face was unreadable, but her eyes held much emotion.

"I SAID GO AWAY! I NEED TO BE LEFT ALONE!"

She bit her lip, and turned her face away. She had never blown up in front of somebody besides Hikari.

Yes, she was puzzled, but she had no right to blow up at him.

He was surprised at her actions. However, he grimly smiled and comforted her.

"It's okay. You really can tell me anything you want."

"You sound really corny."

"Did it work?"

A pause.

"Yeah, it did."

He grinned, and she beamed, and the pair turned to look at the sky.

"I think I was felling…well…jealous."

"You? Jealous?"

Embarrassed, she nodded.

"Yeah. I don't know where it came from, but I had a pit in my stomach when you were talking to Piyomon. And it was even after the fact that I know she's just a friend." She looked at her lap. "I'm so sorry for yelling at you. I just…I've never felt like this before."

He smiled.

"It's okay." His face split into a smirk. "Besides, you were _jealous_."

"Don't rub it in."

Unnoticed by them, another had joined them.

"Can you guys just shut up?"

Turning around, they found Gomamon, his eyes drooping and his feet slowly carrying him towards the river. She laughed at him.

"You've waken up, huh? Well go back to sleep, we've got plenty of time. It's still pretty dark."

"I know that. You guys are just too loud." Gomamon trudged to the side of the river, and dunked himself inside. As he swam off, his splashed faded, and his silhouette became paler. He shook his head.

"He's quite the joker, Gomamon is."

"He means well. And we really were loud."

"Yeah, I guess we were."

He turned to her, as a grin crept unto his face.

"So, where were we?"

She, confused, tilted her head.

She was met with a groan.

"Will you guys just give it a _rest_?"

She shook her head at Gomamon's intolerance.

Grinning, Tailmon gave Patamon an innocent kiss on the cheek.

Blushing, Patamon stared into Tailmon's eyes, shocked.

Grunting, Gomamon swam deeper into the water, and was unable to hear anything anymore.


End file.
